Curated OER
Who is on that Bill? Alexander Hamilton and the Federalist Papers
Students, who are adult learners, participate in an Internet scavenger hunt in order to assimilate information about the biography of Alexander Hamilton and the Federalist Papers. They look at the Federalist and Anti-Federalist Papers...
Curated OER
Comparing Good and Bad Character Traits of Historical and Current Figures
Students create a chart with two columns. In one column include good and bad character traits of historical figures in biographies and historical fiction. In the second column include good and bad character traits of current famous...
Curated OER
An Illustrated Guide to the Late 1800's
Eleventh graders investigate the time of the late 1800's. They conduct research using a variety of resources that could include the internet. Students create an alphabetized encyclopedia of important historical people of the time period.
Curated OER
Cemeteries Are Historical, Not Solely Grave
Students reflect on the value of graveyards as places of great historical importance and information. They create an epitaph for and a brief biography of a deceased historical figure whom they admire.
Curated OER
Writing a Bibliography
Students research information and then write a biography. In this Historical Biography lesson, students discuss the key components that comprise a biography, choose a person to research and then write a biographical research paper on...
Curated OER
Olympic Biographies
Students create a book of biographies in order to profile famous Olympic athletes through history. In this biography writing lesson, students research information about historic Olympians, first by listening to a short biography on Jesse...
Curated OER
Historical Heroes and Character Sketches
Students write a character sketch and present it in first person. In this historical heroes and character sketches lesson, students "meet" Harriet Tubman (played by their teacher) and discuss her contributions. Students read examples...
Curated OER
Well-behaved Women [and Men] Seldom Make History
Students examine historical context. In this historical perspectives activity, students read and discuss instructor-selected picture book biographies. Students then complete graphic organizers based on the challenges the main characters...
Curated OER
And You Were (Almost) There
Young scholars explore the genre of biography in both its traditional and nontraditional forms. They examine Edmund Morris's unorthodox biography of Ronald Reagan. They conduct research on an historic American and write their own...
Curated OER
Night of the Notables
Students read several biographies of famous Americans and discuss the characteristics of a biography. Students collect biographical information on another person in the class and write a biography. Students research and create a...
Curated OER
From One Child to Another: Letters about the Holocaust
Students read biographies of students who survived the Holocaust and write letters describing the effects of those stories. They select one biography and write a letter to that child, telling how the biography affected him or her.
Curated OER
A Moment in Time
Fifth graders research a year in history. In this research lesson, 5th graders choose a year between 1801 and 1999 and write three research questions to answer about their year. Students must include three major events and investigate...
Curated OER
Number the Stars Historical Background: Kim Malthe-Bruun
In this history and literature worksheet, students read a true biography of a Danish resistance fighter named Kim Malthe-Bruun. In the novel Number the Stars, the character of Peter is based on this young man. There are no questions to...
All About Explorers
How Could They Be so Wrong?
If it's on the Internet, it must be true ... right? Introduce young Internet explorers to the importance of fact-checking through a fun web-based activity. Pairs work together to read and analyze biographies about world explorers, then...
Elizabeth Murray Project
Colonial Women During the Revolution
Young researchers use the Internet or books to find out about colonial women during the American Revolution. They organize information in a graphic to demonstrate their understanding of the research they gathered before writing a...
Curated OER
Tracing the Impact of Historical Figures
High schoolers discuss impact of various historical figures from different periods in time, read about and take notes on one assigned historical figure, and create photo journals of their experiences.
Curated OER
Tobacco: Fictional Biography
Eighth graders identify the impact of the political and social changes in North Carolina after the Civil War. Using their text, they explain the role of agriculture, textile and tobacco in the area and how it helped economically develop...
Curated OER
Biography Bounce
Fourth graders review important people in history by participating in a "Biography Bounce." The students bounce rubber or soccer balls after correctly identifying the person presented by the teacher.
Read Works
Biography
Familiarize your class with the genre of biography. After some direct instruction about biography, work together to discuss historical facts and significant events from A Picture Book of Anne Frank by David A. Adler. In order to assess...
Pace University
Genres in Literature
Enthusiastic readers take part in a book club unit that focuses on genre, particularly historical fiction, fantasy, and adventure. Over the course of 10 days, groups read a variety of stories and choose leveled activities from a learning...
Curated OER
George Winter Lesson Plan 3
Bring language arts and U.S. history together in this lesson plan, which prompts middle and high schoolers to gather biographical information about Abraham Lincoln. They compare and contrast information written about his childhood and...
Curated OER
Comparing and Contrasting
Analyze historical biographies. Young scholars compare and contrast the biographies of Susan B. Anthony and Pat Nixon. They construct graphic organizers, answer critical thinking questions, complete a formative assessment.
Curated OER
Wall of Philanthropists: King Day (7th)
Young scholars recognize the importance of justice, tolerance, equality, and historical figures. In this philanthropic actions lesson, students study the philanthropic actions of historical figures, and learn about the concepts of...
Curated OER
Building Biographies: A Research Unit
Students explore the fundamental principles involved in completing a research project. Several handheld technical pieces of equipment are utilized to complete this lesson.